Michael Bailey Norwich boss Glenn Roeder will find the majority of his team's spine missing for the visit of Swansea City to Carrow Road tomorrow (3pm).Midfielder and makeshift striker Darel Russell begins a three-game suspension following his sending off for violent conduct during City's 2-2 home draw with Preston last weekend, while forward Antoine Sibierski has also been ruled out of tomorrow's Championship fixture.

Michael Bailey

Norwich boss Glenn Roeder will find the majority of his team's spine missing for the visit of Swansea City to Carrow Road tomorrow (3pm).

Midfielder and makeshift striker Darel Russell begins a three-game suspension following his sending off for violent conduct during City's 2-2 home draw with Preston last weekend, while forward Antoine Sibierski has also been ruled out of tomorrow's Championship fixture.

Add to that yesterday's news experienced central defender Dejan Stefanovic suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage after nine minutes of the Preston fixture, and Roeder has some selection dilemmas to solve.

But thoughts at Colney remain with Stefanovic, who will have an operation in two weeks that will asses the full extent of the injury and the time frame for any possible return to action - something that is likely to towards the end of this season at the earliest.

“It is shocking news for Dejan personally, to have an injury at this time of his life, at this age,” said Roeder. “Not that we don't think he can make a full recovery but we really want to wait and see what the surgeon's report is once he's been inside and done the work. Anything more than what I have already seaside would be guess work.”

Roeder will not look to bring in a loan replacement immediately, which means Elliott Omozusi and Adam Drury will be the likely back up in central defence should anything untoward happen to either Gary Doherty of John Kennedy, who look set to start alongside each other tomorrow.

The long-term injury to Stefanovic will also put added emphasis on Roeder securing an extension to Kennedy's loan spell from Celtic, which is due to end in January.

The news was better with Sibierski, who has had a steroid injection in his knee following his own injury picked up against Preston. The Frenchman is expected to be in contention to face Nottingham Forest in front of the Sky TV cameras in eight days' time.

With Russell and Sibierski out, Mark Fotheringham and Matty Pattison will be pushing for recalls to the starting eleven in midfield, while Jamie Cureton and Arturo Lupoli will be hoping for the nod up front alongside Leroy Lita.

Although, with Swansea bringing their attacking variation of a 4-5-1 formation to Carrow Road, Roeder could yet decide to play with Lita as a lone striker supported by a roaming midfielder, something which could suit Wes Hoolahan.

Swansea sit ninth in the Championship table but have only won twice on their travels this season, scoring six goals in eight away fixtures.